I have a lot of admiration for my opponents in the Seanad referendum campaign. They’re running a very slick, professional campaign (hardly surprising, given the Fianna Fail background of most of them) but mostly, you have to admire their courage.

Here are people, many of whom will seek public office in the next five years or so, who are putting their own personal integrity and judgement on the line by pledging that a No vote will definitely lead to the implementation of the Zappone/Quinn reforms.

Pledges that, like Eamonn Gilmore’s declaration of 2011, will follow them throughout their political careers.

They’re effectively saying:

“Yes, a No vote will definitely lead to the implementation of Zappone/Quinn within a relatively short period of time, and certainly before the 2021 elections at the latest. I’m staking my personal reputation on that.”